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Assemblyman Rocky Chvez declared his candidacy Thursday for California's open U.S. Senate seat in 2016, becoming the first prominent Republican to enter the race.

Chvez, R-Oceanside, faces an uphill battle. He lacks the statewide name recognition of the only other major declared candidate, California Attorney General Kamala Harris, a Democrat. And the "R" after his name could be a burden in the high-turnout election that the strongly Democratic state expects next year.

Assemblyman Rocky Chavez, R-Oceanside, right, talks with the leaders of the gay GOP organization Log Cabin Republicans of California, Charles Moran, center, and John Musella, left. (Christopher Cadelago/Sacramento Bee)

And even if he remains the only Latino in the field, Chvez's surname won't automatically attract Latino voters, said Carlos Muoz Jr., a UC Berkeley professor emeritus and Latino politics expert. Nor, he added, are most Latino voters likely to look past his party affiliation to see his moderate stance on immigration and Chvez's stand against repealing the Affordable Care Act -- positions that have some conservatives questioning his partisan bona fides.

"The Republican Party, in the minds of a majority of Latinos in the state of California, stinks," Muoz said. "And I don't think that Rocky has that much of a statewide notoriety, so I don't consider him a serious candidate."

Chvez, a retired Marine Corps colonel, said he plans to focus on strengthening national security, creating more education opportunities for children and improving the economy.

"Our national security is a major concern, with ISIS growing bolder every day," he said in a news release. "If things get worse overseas, who would Californians want representing them in the Senate? A lawyer from San Francisco, or a Marine colonel who knows how lives can be protected and understands the importance of keeping America and her allies safe and secure?"

Californians "want to take their state back" and "are looking for someone who shares their story," Chvez said. "My father taught me the value of hard work in the grape fields with my uncles and cousins, which led to my success in the military and desire to give back through public service."

Chvez, 63, is in his second term representing the 76th Assembly District in northern San Diego County. Earlier, he was acting secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs and an Oceanside city councilman.

Harris "welcomes Assemblyman Chavez to the race and believes anyone should run for office if that's how he or she believes California can be best-served," Brian Brokaw, Harris' spokesman, said Thursday.

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Republican Rocky Chvez enters 2016 U.S. Senate race